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(HealthDay News) — Some 13 million workers in the United States may be exposed to hazardous chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin, the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) says. This type of exposure may lead to contact dermatitis (eczema), skin cancer and skin infection or injury, the agency warns. Workers at risk include those in food service, cosmetology, health care, agriculture, cleaning, painting, construction and printing, NIOSH adds. The skin is the body’s largest organ, accounting for more than 10 percent of a person’s body mass. Traditionally, workplace exposure has focused on preventing inhalation of chemicals, rather than skin exposure, the agency says. It notes that this accounts for why preventive measures against skin exposure are much more limited.

With concerns about overfishing, it’s shocking to learn that 40 percent of the edible U.S. seafood supply is lost or wasted every year — and half of that is by consumers. That’s not only money down the drain, but also a loss of valuable nutrients like protein and omega-3 fatty acids. To cut waste, calculate the amount of fish you really need before shopping based on the recipe you’ll be following and portion sizes. It will also help to have a plan for any leftovers, such as a brown bag lunch the next day. Be sure the seafood is fresh when you buy it. At the store, it should be refrigerated or displayed on ice in a case or under a cover. Fish should smell like the sea, not fishy or ammonia-like — those are signs of spoilage in raw or cooked fish. Seafood shopping tips: The eyes of whole fish should be clear and bulge slightly. Flesh should be shiny, not slimy, and spring back when pressed. Shrimp flesh should be translucent. Consider buying frozen seafood, like bags of shrimp, which can be economical and used as needed. At home, store fresh seafood properly so it won’t spoil before you can eat it. If you’ll cook it within two days, you can put it in the fridge, optimally on ice. Otherwise, wrap it tightly…  read on >

After having a stroke, heart attack or cardiac arrest, people are less likely to be employed than their healthy peers, new research shows. Even if they are working, they may earn significantly less than people who haven’t had a stroke or heart event, the investigators found. Although the majority of people who have one of these serious health scares do end up back at work, about 20 percent of those who had a stroke weren’t back at work three years later. Meanwhile, about 5 percent of those who had a heart attack hadn’t gone back to work, while 13 percent of those who’d had cardiac arrest weren’t back on the job after three years. (Cardiac arrest is when your heart suddenly stops beating.) The study also found an average drop in yearly earnings of more than $13,000 after a stroke, about $11,000 after cardiac arrest and nearly $4,000 after a heart attack. “When we look at the impact of health events, we need to look not only at short-term, easy-to-measure outcomes like life and death. Quality of life and economic well-being are equally important to people,” said study author Dr. Allan Garland. He is a professor of medicine and community health sciences at the University of Manitoba and Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg in Canada. Garland said that most people want to work, so it’s important…  read on >

Losing a job or taking a big pay cut is hard on more than just your checkbook — it might drastically increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure or death. A new study finds that people who endure large swings in income over the years are much more likely to develop heart disease or suffer a premature death. “We found that individuals in the highest third of income volatility — the individuals with the most fluctuation in income — had an almost double risk of cardiovascular disease and death in the subsequent 10 years, compared with people who had the least fluctuation in income,” said lead researcher Tali Elfassy. She is an assistant professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. People who had the most volatile incomes between 1990 and 2005 were a little more than twice as likely to develop heart disease and 78 percent more likely to die from any cause during the following decade, compared with people with the most stable incomes, Elfassy and her colleagues found. Further, people who suffered two or more income drops during that same period were 2.5 times more likely to develop heart disease and 92 percent more likely to die from any cause, compared with those who never had their income go down, the study findings showed. The study only found…  read on >

(HealthDay News) — Some decorations sold for use on birthday cakes may not be what parents wish for, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. Some decorative glitters and dusts may contain ingredients that shouldn’t be eaten, the agency says. They’re marketed as luster dust, disco dust, twinkle dust, sparkle dust highlighter, shimmer powder, pearl dust and petal dust. The FDA offers these suggestions before deciding on how to decorate a cake: Carefully check the label of any decorative product. Edible glitters and dusts are required by law to include a full list of ingredients on the label. Look for ingredients such as sugar, acacia, maltodextrinornstarch and color additives specifically approved for food use. Most edible glitters and dusts state “edible” on the label. If the label simply says “non-toxic” or “for decorative purposes only” and does not include an ingredients list, you should not use the product on foods.

After suffering through a cold, many people still have a persistent cough — but why? According to Dr. Jonathan Parsons, director of the Asthma Center at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, here are some reasons for a continuing cough: Coughing is protective. It removes irritants from the lungs and protects the airway. The cough might be due to an upper respiratory tract infection. Even after the infection is gone, you may still have some inflammation in the lungs. Coughing can be worse at night. “For some patients, their cough is so severe that it disrupts their sleep to the point where they aren’t getting any sleep at all, which impacts their ability to function during the day. In that situation, you might consider taking a cough suppressant with codeine to blunt the cough reflex and assist with sleep,” Parsons said in a center news release. A cough that lasts more than three weeks may be a chronic condition. If you’re still coughing and feeling sick after three weeks, then you should see a doctor. Causes of a chronic cough include: Uncontrolled allergies, Uncontrolled asthma, Side effects of medicine, Acid reflux. Persistent cough might be a symptom of a serious illness. “If you’re coughing up blood, spiking fevers or have significant shortness of breath associated with the cough, you need to be evaluated quickly. You…  read on >

After suffering through a cold, many people still have a persistent cough — but why? According to Dr. Jonathan Parsons, director of the Asthma Center at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, here are some reasons for a continuing cough: Coughing is protective. It removes irritants from the lungs and protects the airway. The cough might be due to an upper respiratory tract infection. Even after the infection is gone, you may still have some inflammation in the lungs. Coughing can be worse at night. “For some patients, their cough is so severe that it disrupts their sleep to the point where they aren’t getting any sleep at all, which impacts their ability to function during the day. In that situation, you might consider taking a cough suppressant with codeine to blunt the cough reflex and assist with sleep,” Parsons said in a center news release. A cough that lasts more than three weeks may be a chronic condition. If you’re still coughing and feeling sick after three weeks, then you should see a doctor. Causes of a chronic cough include: Uncontrolled allergies, Uncontrolled asthma, Side effects of medicine, Acid reflux. Persistent cough might be a symptom of a serious illness. “If you’re coughing up blood, spiking fevers or have significant shortness of breath associated with the cough, you need to be evaluated quickly. You…  read on >

The number of weekly recommended workout sessions can really add up. With five or more periods of cardio, and two or three each of strength training, flexibility and motor skills for balance and agility, it’s inevitable that you’ll need to do more than one type of exercise on any given day. To make the most of every session, know the right sequence to follow. A Western Colorado University study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) tested the variables and found definitive results. First, on days when you’re doing cardio, you should typically start with this workout, whatever aerobic activity you choose. You’ll not only get the maximum benefits by doing it first, but you’ll also warm up your body for the second exercise. If strength training is also part of that day’s plan, do it next. If you’re piggy-backing all types of exercise, flexibility and motor skills should follow strength training, in whatever order you like. The research found that this sequence had psychological as well as physical benefits. However, experts add that it’s fine to personalize these findings based on individual goals. For instance, if you need to focus on one type of exercise in particular, like flexibility to help with low back pain, start a multi-discipline session with that workout so that you’re fresh when doing it. Or if building muscle…  read on >

(HealthDay News) — Some women react to the experience of pregnancy and childbirth with sadness, fear, anxiety and procrastination, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. The academy mentions these risk factors for developing depression during and after pregnancy: Hormonal changes. Personal or family history of depression. Feeling a lack of support from family and friends. Problems with a previous pregnancy or birth. Personal or financial concerns. Stressful life experiences. Young pregnancy. Drug or alcohol abuse. Family violence. Chronic illness.

Restrictive diets are hard to stick with, especially when you must eliminate most of your favorite foods. Research has also found that cutting out a particular food can cause cravings and may lead to overindulgence — and weight regain — when you allow yourself to enjoy it again. Since permanent weight loss really involves a forever approach, learning how to work in your favorites, especially sweets, is a must even during the weight-loss phase. Penn State University researchers set out to test whether purposefully including a favorite snack in a diet could help people stick with their eating plan and achieve weight loss success. They conducted a small study in which all the participants followed a low-calorie, high-nutrient diet of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, non-fat milk and lean protein with a small number of daily calories going to a sweet treat. For one group of participants the treat was one small square of chocolate twice a day plus a sugar-free cocoa drink. For the other group, the treat was red licorice, plus the cocoa drink. After 18 weeks, both groups lost inches and pounds, with the chocolate group achieving slightly better results. The researchers also found that participants didn’t overindulge in their treats — they kept within the overall calorie-range of their diet — and that the snacks kept cravings under control. To try this…  read on >